Professor Attahiru Jega, former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), sounded a warning to Nigerians, asserting that the country’s core governance structures have been seized by a cadre of unscrupulous political figures.
Speaking at Sa’adu Zungur State University, Bauchi, Jega implored citizens to act swiftly or risk surrendering their collective destiny to self-serving individuals ill-equipped to rescue the nation from a downward spiral.
“Citizens have an obligation in good or bad times… They have key roles to play in order to ensure their country survives and good things happen to ordinary citizens.”
He also pointed fingers at the current INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, alleging that the electoral office had been compromised under his leadership. Jega expressed concern over the rushed declaration of Bola Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 presidential election, citing documented evidence of electoral fraud and intimidation.
“An election that is not captured will bring out quality people… If the reckless people are capturing the political process… obviously they will destroy the future for everybody.”
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Furthermore, Jega urged Nigerians to reclaim control and transition to a more federal system, emphasizing that failure to do so could brand the state as a “failed state” in the modern context.